Nokia's tie-up with Microsoft 'bold decision' (2)

At least, both PCs and phones can work with Office on Windows. Just imagine it!
2. The performance of Windows Phone 7
I believe many people are turning up their noses at the new partnership because they think the new WP7 system for handsets is just like its predecessor Windows Mobile, a slow and complicated system with high memory and huge power consumption.
Actually, Microsoft was one of the earliest firms to invest in a handset operating system. But the unsuccessful Windows Mobile system prompted partners like HTC and Motorola to focus on Google's Android.
The new WP7 system is still relatively untested by consumers. It's easy to understand why some people might transfer negative feelings about Windows Mobile to the WP7. Some people even still confuse the two when expressing opinions about WP7 on social networking sites.
It's a pity that I haven't had the opportunity to test the WP7 phone, but I have talked extensively to people who have.
"WP7 has impressive multi-touch functions, even the same or better than iPhone's," said Cai Zhe, a handset industry veteran who used to work for IT website PCHome for several years.
James Chu, chairman and chief executive of ViewSonic, also highly praised the display technology of Windows phones.
"It's a revolutionary technology that allows users to display images and videos in several screens from a single device," Chu said.
And don't forget about Microsoft's media player Zune, and game console XBox and its hot accessory Kinect. It's said that the WP7 phone will be part of XBox games and compatible with Kinect. The partnership with Microsoft will help Nokia catch up with Apple and Google in the online application sector.
Entertainment occupies a key position in the online application market because more than 70 percent of such apps are games. In Apple's App Store, eight or even nine of the top 10 apps are always games, like Angry Birds.
3. Nokia's advantage and localization
So the question is: What's the difference between Nokia and other Microsoft Windows Phone 7 partners?
To be frank, the huge volume and market share of Nokia tilt the new partnership a little toward Microsoft's benefit.
Nokia will no doubt become Microsoft's most important partner and this will allow it to get support and resources from Microsoft, including Microsoft paying billions of dollars to Nokia for using WP7.
Meanwhile, Nokia has one of the world's best map services, Ovi Maps, which will be included in Microsoft's WP7 ecosystem standard map service. It will earn Nokia a long-term income if other vendors use the service.
The Ovi Maps, which Nokia owns after acquiring it from Navteq for US$8.1 billion in 2007, is as good as Google Maps. I think they are the two world's best map services. It was one of the key reasons why Nokia didn't choose Google's Android; they have competing map services and neither was willing to relinquish its own service.
In China, Nokia has sold 250 million phones, established a national distribution channel and built a cozy relationship with the two top mobile operators, China Mobile and China Unicom.
Nokia and China Mobile have established the MM-Ovi Store, the only overseas player store allowing people to pay for apps through mobile bills. Other application stores, including Apple's App Store, require users to purchase apps with credit cards - not the preferred payment channel for Chinese consumers.
It's one example of how Nokia has localized its services in China, and that also will help the Finnish-based firm shift from Symbian to Windows.
Obviously, any new partnership faces uncertainty and possible pitfalls, especially when it's in the position of having to play catch-up.
"Two bicycle makers from Dayton, Ohio, one day decided to fly," said Nokia chief executive Stephen Elop, replying to the "two turkeys" jibe with an allusion to the Wright Brothers.